At the 2017 Chuckanut 50k Conservation NW and Skagit Land Trust joined our pre race event at the Chrysalis and hosted a booth at the finish line on race day. Their initiative? To help raise awareness around the potential logging of the Blanchard core - a key recreation area for many trail users. In addition to raising awareness they asked our runners and volunteers to sign a postcard if they supported the protection of this area. We were able to generate over 300 postcards that contributed to the 1200 that were sent by Skagit Land Trust!

From Skagit Land Trust: Their advocacy helped make a difference. The push by constituents and visitors to fully fund the protection of Blanchard was huge. Key decision-makers heard us. The Washington State House budgeted the full amount needed to finalize protecting the core of Blanchard Mountain through the Trust Land Transfer program. The Senate has not passed a capital budget yet, so we are stuck in limbo right now until they do.

Fortunately leaders at the Department of Natural Resources have said they will avoid logging the core in the short term, and are still working with stakeholders to ensure that the funding is fully secured.